The objective of the Ohio State University (OSU) postdoctoral oncology training program is to provide a focused perspective and state-of-the-art research training in cancer biology and aspects of cancer treatment to postdoctoral fellows selected from motivated and gifted M.D., D.O., DVM, or Ph.D. candidates who have strong interests in cancer research and are committed to careers in patient-oriented cancer research. The rationale of the program is that advances in cancer therapy and prevention are most likely to come from physician-scientists and basic scientists who have trained in a research environment that fosters collaboration between clinical and laboratory investigators focused on the pursuit of specific research goals. The participating faculty consists of the program director, chair of the advisory committee, director/assistant director of education, mentors and contributing faculty. The program design consists of formal academic courses, seminars and journal clubs to provide trainees with an overview of cancer biology and a broad cancer research orientation. Each trainee will perform independent research projects in a mentor's laboratory. In the 38-year history of this training grant at OSU,. 160 postdoctoral students have, been trained in basic and translational cancer research by a cadre of outstanding NIH funded participating facuIty. Of these 160 trainees, 136 or 85%, have engaged in academic pursuits for all or a significant portion of their careers after leaving the fellowship program, and this success rate has been sustained over the past 10 years. The research areas and scientific disciplines encompassed by the 51 mentors and the 19 contributing faculty are represented by their individual affiliations with one of the six OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Research Programs: Cancer Control, Experimental Therapeutics, Immunology, Molecular Biology and Cancer Genetics, Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention, and Oncogenic Virus. Mentors and contributing faculty are all NIH/NCI/DOD/ACS-funded basic scientists and physician-investigators who have developed a network of collaborative interactions within the CCC which expose the trainee to multiple research perspectives and expertise. The same faculty also participates with trainees in joint conferences which further enhance appreciation of different research approaches. The anticipated levels of experience of eligible postdoctoral candidates are two to seven years, and the duration. of the proposed training is two years. This competitive renewal application seeks continued support for 8 trainees each year for 5 years. RELEVANCE: The relevance of this grant proposal to Public Health is that advances in cancer therapy and prevention are most likely to come from physician-investigators and basic life scientists who have trained in a research environment that fosters collaboration between clinical and laboratory investigators focused on the pursuit of specific research goals.